We scour the web for the latest news on veterans and compile it here every other week. Here are the top headlines for April 24 – May 7.

America’s Oldest World War II Veteran is Turning 109, and He Still Smokes 12 Cigars a Day

Richard Overton, a WWII Army veteran, is celebrating his 109th birthday this week in Austin, Texas. Though he won’t technically be 109 until May 11th, the community is already celebrating. His Austin neighborhood threw him a birthday party on May 3rd complete with burgers, milkshakes and cigars. Overton is believed to be the oldest-living American veteran, though it’s impossible to verify because not all veterans register with the VA. Overton drinks whiskey every morning and night, smokes 12 cigars a day and never stops moving – habits neighbors attribute to Overton’s long life. Read More

1st Female F-35 Pilot Flies into History Books

Lt. Col. Christine Mau has become the first woman to pilot an F-35 LIghtning II, but this isn’t the first time she’s made military history. In 2011, she was part of a sortie in Afghanistan known as “Dudette 07,” the first and only all-female combat mission. Mau began training at Eglin’s F-35 Integrated Training Center on March 16 and completed 14 virtual training missions in a simulator before flying solo on Tuesday. She currently serves as the 33rd Fighter Wing Operations Group deputy commander. Read More

4 Things Veterans Hate That Movies Get Wrong

Hollywood gets a lot of things wrong when it comes to portraying the military, but which blunders bother service members and veterans the most? That’s the question that was recently asked on RallyPoint. A recent article from Task and Purpose summed up some of the most common answers among vets, which include incorrect uniforms and endless ammo supplies. Read More